St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-09-09
ALMOST ESCAPED.
EoOdler Mcdonald Nearly Secures
His Freedom.

His Freedom.
CHICAGO, Sept. S.-For good many
days back mysterious whisperings have
been floating around the stone walls of
the county jail concerning an affair the
knowledge of which has until now been
confined to only Il few individuals. Ed
Mcdonald. the partner of McGarigle in
boodleism, and who was sentenced
along with him made daring break for
his liberty about two weeks ago, which
had it proved successful. would have
more than rivaled in its sensational fea-
tureS the celebrated episode of the bath
tub and the flight to Canada. One
evening about two weeks ago friend
of the prisoner-a woman-was
admitted to see him. This woman
had a long coll of rope concealed about
her person, which she left in the pos
session Of Mcdonald. The apartment
in which he is confined is OH the third
floor, and a ventilator runs from the
cell to the roof. Through this aper-
ture Mcdonald managed to climb till
he reached the roof. He then fastened
one end of the rope to some projection
on the roof and let the other end down.
Once landed in the yard he pursued his
way stealthily till he reached the stairs
where visitors passed down into the
jail. AS he came up to the turn of the
stairway he ran against one of the
guards, but the latter, supposing him to
be visitor who had obtained permis-
sion to come there, passed Oh and
DID NOT CHALLENGE HIM.
Half way between the stair and the
entrance is another hall leading to an
other entrance. Through this hall Nc
Donald was proceeding. the street en-
trance in view and liberty all but with
in his grasp. when he was confronted
by three men. These were a lawyer,
detective and a deputy sheriff. This
was the critical moment for Mcdonald.
Had he quietly passed along the proba-
bility is no notice would have been taken
of him by any one of the party. But he
was taken with timid fit and drew
back into the shadow, movement that
at once excited the suspicion of the de-
tective, who promptly seized him by the
light. Mcdonald. in sheer desperation,
struck he detective apowerful blow
on the head with his fist
which sent the latter reeling
to ther floor, and then made break for
the door. AT this moment the deputy
sheriff recognized the prisoner, and,
with the help of the lawyer, succeeded
in overpowering him after fierce re-
Sistance. Then an alarm was given and
the would-be fugitive was secured, but
not until he had uttered shrill whistle,
which could be heard for considerable
distance, and which was evidently a
Lreconcerted signal for a carriage, which
was standing in the vicinity of the Jail.
and which dashed down the street. Nc
Donald was taken back and confined in
a common cell, where he could be under
more careful surveillance. Since then
he has been subjected to the full rigor
of the discipline of the Jail.
DENIAL.
The statements given above were de-
rived this afternoon from a usually re-
liable source. Nevertheless the story
of the attempted escape was denounced
this evening by those most directly in
terested as entirely without foundation.
Jailor Folz says it is lie from top to
bottom. 1t is denied by Jail Clerk
Price, by Ed Mcdonald himself and by
the states attorneys office. All claim
that the escape as detailed would be
physical impossibility. The ventillator
through which it is narrated Mcdonald
craWied, is declared to be cast iron
affair, only eight inches square and is
said to be barred with rusty iron graf
'ng that shows no Indications of having